While we love the beach and the sunny days in Portugal, the people we meet are our favorite part of every new location. A week ago we walked on the beach and stopped for a pitcher of sangria at one of the beachside bars/cafes. The tables were full so we shared a table with a lovely British couple named Joan and Terry French. We sipped our drinks and chatted with them for about an hour. We were discussing how much we enjoyed the Algarve, and they told us they have been coming here for holidays for nearly 25 years. They rented a home in Bagau, the next village down the coast. The Algarve is dotted with villages that hug the coast for miles. Joan asked if we would like them to show us more of the Algarve area as they had a car. Of course, we said yes. We set up a day and time to meet and looked forward to seeing more of this beautiful country.

The four of us met again at the appointed time and drove towards the west on the highway . There is now a modern divided highway traveling the length of the Algarve coast from Faro, but when Joan and Terry first came here, they drove a small, one lane road to get to the beautiful beaches of the western Algarve. It's now a 50 minute drive from Faro, the main city, to where we stay, but then it took them 2 to 3 hours bumping along a rough one lane road. The old road is still visible from the highway, but I thought they were very adventurous those many years ago. They took us shopping (of course!) at a pottery store that dwarfed Mercedes' store in Rocky Point. It was the size of a Costco warehouse full of gorgeous pottery, dishes, vases, and every imaginable vessel crafted of fired clay. The Portuguese are famous for their beautiful hand painted pottery and dishes. Alas, I only could buy a pair of soft lambswool slippers as I can't carry a service for eight of hand painted dishes in my suitcase!!! I asked if they shipped overseas, but was told no. Everyone who knows me realizes it was truly hard for me to leave that store without even one plate . We next visited a little bar perched on a rocky cliff overlooking the Atlantic and I soothed my disappointment with a beverage while gazing at the beautiful waves lapping the rocky shore. Terry and Joan introduced us to the owners of the little bar and regaled us with stories of times spend there.

After a bite of lunch at a beautiful newer restaurant along the coast road, we doubled back over one lane roads and went to Bagau where Terry and Joan rent their apartment. Bagau is a bit smaller than Luz (where we rent) but has the quaint charm of a fishing village that has perched on the hills for hundreds of years. The village itself has cobbled narrow streets that feed downhill to the crescent shaped beach. The streets are lined with old stuccoed buildings now occupied by cafes, tourist shops, and little homes. Bagau is still an active fishing village, so we walked down the beach to where the fishermen bring up their catch every day.  We stopped and talked to an older man sitting in a boathouse weaving a fishing net and tying it much as they have done for hundreds of years . Terry and Joan took us to their apartment where we drank coffee and sat on their patio for a while until it was time to go to dinner in Bagau. Terry had made reservations for us at a little café near the beach run by an Irishman named George who moved to the Algarve with his wife and opened a rather British establishment much favored by the English on holiday. While Friday was fish and chips day, I think the main draw was George's outgoing and cheery personality as he chatted and joked with his customers on the open air patio. The dinner of fish and chips with mushy peas was very British and very good.

After a full and enjoyable day, Terry and Joan took us back to our apartment where the four of us drank coffee on our balcony and rehashed what we had seen. We made plans to meet again. They were going into the city the next day, and Joan promised to look for an hdmi cable for me to replace my broken one. Thoughtfully, she found me one and delivered it the very next day! A few days later, we met them one last time for dinner before they went home to England. They brought another couple with them, Bob and Carol, and we all shared a great meal at the local Chinese restaurant. We've exchanged emails and contact information and look forward to meeting up with Terry and Joan and Bob and Carol next summer when we visit England. Cory is already planning on attending an F-1 race at the track near their home in Leicester. We now count Terry and Joan as friends and we'll stay in touch with them. The kindness and thoughtfulness of the people we've met have really made our travels memorable.

I've also included a few pictures below of our favorite Indian restaurant, Saffron, and the beach at Luz at high tide. Enjoy!